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HAZWOPER Training — Who Needs It?

HAZWOPER is an acronym that stands for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response. According to OSHA standard 29 CFR Part 1910.120, HAZWOPER training is required for any workers who perform cleanup, emergency response, or corrective actions that involve the uncontrolled release of hazardous substances.

Exposure to hazardous chemicals can cause a variey of health and safety risks, including chemical burns, fires, explosions, and other toxic effects that may lead to death.

Which Workers Need HAZWOPER Training?

According to OSHA, the HAZWOPER standard applies to five groups of employers and their employees. HAZWOPER training is required for workers involved in:

  • Cleanup operations required by a governmental body, whether federal, state, local, or other, involving hazardous substances conducted at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites.
  • Corrective actions involving cleanup operations at sites covered by the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA).
  • Operations involving hazardous waste conducted at treatment, storage, and disposal (TSD) facilities regulated under RCRA.
  • Operations that generate hazardous waste but are not TSD facilities.
  • Emergency response operations involving releases of, or substantial threats of releases of, hazardous substances without regard to the location of the hazards.

Job roles that commonly require HAZWOPER training include:

  • Equipment operators
  • General laborers
  • Other general site workers
  • Hazardous materials technicians
  • Hazardous materials specialists
  • On-scene incident commanders
  • Geophysical surveyors
  • Supervisory personnel
  • On-site management and supervisors

What Does OSHA Consider a Hazardous Substance or Situation?

An OSHA Standard Interpretation letter provides some guidance as to what OSHA considers a hazardous substance or situation where HAZWOPER standards apply.

According to the letter, emergency response situations covered under HAZWOPER typically involve:

  • High concentrations of toxic substances
  • Risk of injury or death
  • Imminent Danger to Life and Health (IDLH) environments
  • An oxygen deficient atmosphere
  • Conditions that pose a fire or explosion hazard
  • Mandatory evacuation of the area
  • The need for immediate attention to protect employees in the area

OSHA added that an incidental release that can be safely managed by employees in the immediate area (without a coordinated response involving employees outside the area) is not considered an emergency incident under 29 CFR 1910.120.

Which HAZWOPER Course Do I Need?

Employees and employers covered by the OSHA HAZWOPER standard are required to take initial HAZWOPER training, which consists of a 40- or 24-hour course. Most new workers involved in hazardous waste and emergency response operations must take the 40-hour HAZWOPER course.

If your job exposes you to minimal levels of hazardous substances or requires you to spend a limited amount of time at uncontrolled hazardous waste sites, the 24-hour HAZWOPER course will likely satisfy your HAZWOPER training requirement. Check with your employer to make sure that you satisfy all training requirements.

Workers who have met their initial HAZWOPER training requirement must take an 8-hour HAZWOPER refresher course each year to refresh their safety knowledge. This refresher course is designed to meet the annual training requirement for hazardous waste operations and emergency response workers.

Benefits of Online HAZWOPER Training

As with many OSHA training courses, HAZWOPER training is available online for your convenience. USFOSHA.com, a HAZWOPER training provider, offers online, interactive, and fully narrated HAZWOPER courses.

Throughout your training, you’ll learn how to comply with hazard management and hazardous waste regulations in accordance with OSHA standards.

You have 365 days to complete your HAZWOPER training. You can train at your own pace, completing each section from home, work, or anywhere with internet access. Upon completion of the course, you can instantly download your Certificate of Completion.

What Topics Are Covered in HAZWOPER Training?

USFOSHA.com students will learn about a variety of important safety topics during online HAZWOPER training. The 40-hour courses covers the broadest range of topics.

40-Hour HAZWOPER Training Topics

  • Introduction to OSHA
  • Agencies and Regulations
  • Fall Hazards
  • Fall Protection
  • Electrocution
  • Struck-By Hazards
  • Caught-In Hazards
  • Confined Spaces
  • Excavations
  • Tools
  • Fire Prevention
  • Types of Hazards
  • Toxicology
  • Hazard Communication
  • Levels of Protection
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
  • Respirators
  • Hazardous Materials
  • Hazardous Waste
  • Materials Handling
  • Drums and Containers
  • Ergonomics
  • Decontamination
  • Site Safety Planning
  • Medical Surveillance
  • Site Emergencies
  • Toxicology
  • Managing Safety and Health

24-Hour HAZWOPER Training Topics

  • Agencies and Regulations
  • Types of Hazards
  • Hazard Communication
  • Levels of Protection
  • Respirators
  • Detecting Hazardous Materials
  • Hazardous Waste
  • Confined Spaces
  • Fall Protection
  • Decontamination
  • Site Safety Planning
  • Site Emergencies

8-Hour HAZWOPER Training Topics

  • Detecting Hazardous Materials
  • Toxicology
  • Respirators
  • Site Safety Planning
  • Decontamination
  • Hazard Communication
  • Hazardous Waste
  • Levels of Protection

Sources

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, May 10). Immediately Dangerous To Life or Health (IDLH) Values. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/idlh/default.html

U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (2019, May 14). 1910.120- Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.120

U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (1991, November 8). Emergency Situations that Fall Under HAZWOPER. Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/1991-11-08

U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. (n.d.). Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER). Retrieved from https://www.osha.gov/emergency-preparedness/hazardous-waste-operations/standards